The Police are still in The Sun's pockets?

It's great that the revelation of the contemporaneous notes taken by Police Officers at the time of Andrew Mitchell's outburst show that his version of events is lacking.

However, it also shows that there is still a close relationship between the press and the police if The Sun has such ready access to a PC's notebook?!?!?

It surprises me somewhat, given the Leveson Enquiry!

The PC's version is supposedly: "Best you learn your f***ing place. You don't run this ****ing government. You're f***ing plebs."

His way out now, instead of unreservedly apologising is to dispute their version of events, by saying he did not say plebs.

What he in fact is doing is (1) disrespecting them in the first place and now (2) calling them liars.

Given the relationship those officers no doubt have with Politicians who they probably banter with everyday, I don't think it was in their interests to ham up their version of events - I am inclined to believe their recollection.

Mr Mitchell however has a great number of reasons to dispute their memory, despite it being contemporaneous!

He (Mitchell) is in fact making the storm in a tea cup, a great deal worse, and ensuring that there are new installments in the press everyday.

In fact, it is his stubborn stance that has probably caused the PC's notebook to have been viewed by others, be they press or whoever.

The thing with apologies is they need to be genuine, speedy, and with a touch of humility. Taking the higher ground when you already fell off it, is not the way to go.

I watch the ongoing developments on this one with a great deal of interest.

I am laughing about the fact that he apparently demands that all males in his department wear jackets and ties, yet has been known to conduct a meeting without shoes and still wearing his bicycle clips.

My inspiration for this post came from my reading of this morning's "i" paper (known as the essential daily briefing).